Outlet box holder



Jan.` 12, 1954 l A, P. BELL 2,665,865

OUTLET BOX HOLDER Filed June 18, 1951 o INVENTOR 8 Low@ 795915Z) @IL/)..QMc/ww, vm.

3 BY j ATTORNEY ,lune- Patented Jan. l2, 1954 Y l Y2,665,865

U-'ruim BoxnoLnER :gaine-y i. "Beil, maysviueia. application Jurre-1s, 1951, seri-s1 Naseem-59 'iiola'im (Cialis-la7.)

'5I-he invention `.relates :to holders, for n electrical outlet boxes known as switch boxes installed in the iwalls of buildings. Such Voutlet lboxes are cu's tomarilyprovided with lateral ears or/iianges tionnof 'the switch box .through Ythe wallopening y and being .provided `with.perforations for screws yor the-liketosecure the-.switch boxinplace. In

of L.the wall o'f"a room "withitsilateral flanges "con- 'ta'ctin'gthe front sideof the plaster board, 'said holder being formed of spring sheet metal into a bow, the free end of one leg of the bow being adapted to contact the adjacent back side of the plaster board, the other leg of the bow having a reversely bent extension spaced from the outer side of said other leg to provide a hook of which said other' leg forms part for the reception of the free end portion of the adjacent side wall of the switch box, the opposite inner side wall faces l of said hook being adapted to bear against the inner and outer faces of the adjacent side wall of the switch box in such manner that pressure exerted upon the hook at the front side of the plaster board will be transmitted through the bow to said free end to cause the holder to pivot upon said free end and bring said hook into tight embracing engagement with the adjacent side Wall of the switch box. A further object is to provide such a switch box holder wherein no tools of any kind are required to install the holders to secure the switch box in place; wherein there is no need for parts of the holders to be manually bent or adjusted in the application of the holders; wherein there is no possible chance of the holders being dropped within .the space between the plaster board sides of the wall of a room; wherein the holders can be installed in ten seconds; wherein the holders may be removed equally expeditiously; wherein it is not necessary for any knockouts to be removed from the switch box prior to the application of the holders; wherein no special spring metal or steel is required for the holders, and wherein the holders are capable of being made in quantity at small cost so that they may v'be sold at fa lsma'll price. iva'ntages Awill appear hereinafter or f"will tbe Other r-obje'rits @and radobvious.

The invention -c'onsi'st's .in athe novel monstruetion and Lcombinations .offparts as .hereinaifterset In :the 'accompany fdrawings, I iFigures-1 and 2 are sections'tafkenfon 1theline inst and fnnlpositionsfof installation.

"showninifull"linesfthe:plasterboardbmgibrken `away partly.

Figure lv is a perspective view of fon'ex'o'f fthe switch fbox holders.

In the drawings, l=I -'ie's'ignate's 'ith'e-s'wit'chbbx holder Aformed df shieet'imetal into ia bow the span of which is at least equal to its height, said bow having a middle gradually curved portion 4 and oppositely inclined diverging legs 2 and I I, the toothed free end 5 of one leg I I of the bow being adapted to contact the adjacent back side of the plaster board facing 6 of the wall of a room within an opening 1 of which the switch box iits with its lateral flanges 8 contacting the front side of the plaster board, the other leg 2 of the bow having a reversely bent extension 9 having an inclination similar to that of said other leg 2, said extension 9 being spaced from the j outer side of said other leg 2 to provide a hook I of which said other leg forms part for the reception of the free end portion of the adjacent side wall of the switch box 3. The opposite inner side wall faces of said hook I are adapted to bear against the inner and outer faces of the adjacent side wall of the switch box 3 in such manner that pressure exerted upon the hook I at the front side .of the plaster board will be transmitted through the bow 2, 4, II to said free end 5 to cause the holder to pivot upon said free end 5 and bring said hook I into tight embracing engagement with the adjacent side wall of the switch box.

In installation, two of the switch box holders are inserted preferably simultaneously upon opposite sides of the switch box, between the same and the edges of the opening 'I of the plaster board 6, the insertion being made by rst entering the free ends 5 of the holders and thereafter pushing the holders within said opening to Fig. v1 position, wherein the free ends 5 contact the the switch box in place.

adjacent back side of the plaster board and the opposite side Wall faces of each hook l have initial bearing against the inner and outer faces of the adjacent side Wall of the switch box, further movement of the holders from Fig. 1 towards Fig. 2 position being resisted by such bearing. The two holders are then forced home from Fig. 1 to Fig. 2 position, during which forcing the opposite inner andouter faces of eachhook tbear against the innerr and `outer lfaces of the adjacent side wall of the switch box in such manner that pressure exerted upon the hook I at the front side of the plaster board will be transmitted through the bow 2, 4, H to said free end 5 to cause each holder to pivot upon its free end 5 and bring its hook I into tight embracing engagement with the adjacent side wall of the switch box 3.` In the event the switch box fits tightly within the opening 'I of the plaster. board with suiicient play to admit of the entrance of the holders to Fig. l position, the use ofV one of the holders will secure In the event the switch box fits loosely within the opening 'l of the plaster board with more play, two of the holders are required to secure the switch box in place.

My switch box holders will accommodate themselves to plaster board of varying thicknesses, be-

. ing self adjustable due to the spring metal of which they are made and the bowed form of the holders. The leg i I of the bow is preferably plane or flat to adapt it to better resist the strain to which it is subjected.

The teeth of the free end 5 cf the switch box holder are preferably bent slightly inwardly of the l holder, in order that they may better resist skidding upon the back side of the plaster board uni der strain.

The right is reserved to modications coming -4 Within the scope of the claim.

with a slot l0 wherein the end of a prying tool such as the blade of a screw driver may be inserted for the purpose of removing the holder from the switch box.

I claim:

A holder for an electrical outlet box located Within an opening of the plaster board facing of the wall of a room with its lateral flanges contactingthe front side of the plaster board, said holder being formed oi. spring sheetmetal into a bow the span of which is at least equal to its height, said bow having a middle gradually curved portion and oppositely inclined diverging legs, the free end of one leg of the bow being adapted tocontact the adjacent back side of the plaster board, the other leg of the bow being provided with a reversely bent extension having an inclination similar to that of said other leg, said extension being spaced from the outer side of said other leg to provide a hook of which said other leg forms part for the reception of the free end portion of the adjacent side wall of said box, the opposite inner side Wall faces of said hook being adapted to bear against the inner and outer faces of the adjacent side wall of said box in such manner that pressure exerted upon the hook at the front side of the plaster board will be transmitted through the bow to said free end to cause the holder to pivot upon said free end and bring said hooi; into tight embracing engagement with th adjacent side wall of said box. i

AUDLEY P. BELL.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,355,669 Henry Oct. i2, 1920 2,429,443 Yeschick Oct. 21, 1947 2,448,359 Davison Aug. 31, 1948 

